Valve



Patented Jan. 3, |899.

N. McLEUD.

VALVE.

(Application led Jan. 21, 189B.)

(No Model.)

IINTTED STATES PATENT EEicE.

NORMAN MCLEOD, OF MA'ITOON, ILLINOIS.

VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,118, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed January 21, 1898. Serial No. 657,404. (No model.)

To all whom t may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, NORMAN MCLEOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mattoon, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im- `provem ents in Means for Preventing Foulin g of Check-Valves and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the class of valves which automatically open and close and prevent fluid from returning after having been forced through them, such as line-checks in pipes or those attached to steam-boilers and tanks; and it consists in means whereby mud or other sedimentary matter is prevented from lodging and accumulating in the valvecasing and causing the valve to become obstructed and inoperative; and it further consists in a valve of peculiar and novel construction which provides means bywhich the valve and its seat are kept true and clean and prevented from fouling and sticking fast, as will be more fully described hereinafter and claimed.

In constructing check-valves there must be recesses, especially in the vertical lift type, above the valve, and angular spaces not directly in the path of the current of fluid and in which eddies form and carry the floating sediment which is there deposited until it accumulates sufficiently to prevent the proper seating of the valve, and usually portions of the sediment become loose and, dropping down, lodge between the valve and its seat, causinga leakage. This is particularly troublesome in locomotive practice, as is well known. It is my object to eliminate this evil and provide means by which the sediment in suspension in the fluid is prevented by agitation from lodging and thereby caused to continue with the current as it passes onward. This is attained in my invention, which furthermore performs other advantageous functions and is economical and durable in use, being cheaply manufactured as well.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a central vertical sectional View of a boiler check-valve casing used commonly in connection with locomotive-boilers and embodying my invention; Fig. 2 an elevation, and Fig. 3 a central vertical sectional view, of the valve-cage, showing myimprovements thereon; Fig. 4, an elevation of the valveseat base; Fig. 5, a top plan of the valvecage; Fig. G, a top plan of the valve; Fig. 7, a top plan of the valve-seat base; Fig. S, an elevation of the valve; Fig. 9, a bottom plan of the valve; Fig. 10, a fragmentary vertical central sectional View of a modified form of cage and top of casing, and Fig. ll a central vertical sectional View of the type of casing in which no cage is used and showing my valve therein.

In the drawings, A designates the valve, provided with the peculiarly constructed and arranged wings I and J, providing the means by which my invention is rendered successful and practically operative; B, the valve-seat base; C, the valve-cage; D, the casing, and D and D2 variations in the forms of casing,

The casing D may be of the usual formhav ing an outlet G, and, being open at the bottom, permits the insertion of the valve-cage O, which forms a joint at the bottom of the casing. The valve-seat base is inserted into the cage from below and has aflange providing a joint-face b against the under side of the cage-flange C and a joint-face c below, forming a joint against the flange E, which is usually a part of a gooseneck or attached to a connecting inlet-pipe F and is suitably secured detachably to the casing by which the several parts are bound together,leaving the valve free to operate in the cage above the seat B. The casing D is of the same type, except that the top has a centralportion M, somewhat thicker, and a threaded hole therethrough, into which is inserted the adjustingscrew C5, having the lock-nut CG and a cupped lower end passing loosely into a smooth hole in the top O3 of the cage, the screw being a stop for the valve-spindle.

The cage as preferably constructed has the usual bottom flange O and three or four posts C2, connecting the top cross-arms O3, at the intersection of which isa truncated portion IOO C, having a central threaded hole C7, into which is inserted an adjusting-screw C5, having a lock-nut C, rlhe lower end of the screw is adapted for a stop to limit and adjust the amount of lift that the valve should have and also to compensate for the valve becoming shorter due to wear. The lower end preferably has a conical cup i and provides a bearing in which the upper end of the Valve-spindle may revolve when the valve is open.

The valve-seat base is of the usual form, having the seat B at the top and a cylindrical opening therein for the passage of fiuid; butas adapted for my valve it is provided with a bridge K, having a circular center L, in which is an aperture (l, through which the lower end of the valve-spindle passes. The bridge is in the form of an inverted arch, permitting a free flow of the fluid into the opening above it.

In Fig. ll is shown the type of casing` D2 frequently used in connection with boilerfeeding injectors or for checks in pipe-lines, being comparatively small and of an approximately globular shape, having the usual inlet and outlet openings adapted to be connected as may be desired. The top of the casing N has a threaded opening through which the valve is inserted and is closed by a cap P, fitting into the screw-threads, the cap being provided, preferably, with the adjusting-screw C5, having a cupped lower end to receive the upper end of the valve-spindle. The screw may also have a lock-nut; but it should fit closely in the opening provided for it, so as to prevent leakage. The casing has a valveseat B2, as is usual, and at the bottom, centrally below the seat, I provide a socket h to receive the lower end of the valve-spindle H loosely as a guide therefor.

In order to carry out my invention, I provide the valve A, preferably of the disk or button type, as shown, having an annular beveled bearing face; but, if desired, the bearing-face and its seat may be fiat or at a right angle to the axis of the valve-spindle H, which is preferably cast integrally with the valve and turned true at the top and bottom, the latter being adapted to rotate in the guide-hole d or 7L, as described. rIhe upper end of the spindle has either a conical or a semicircular point c, adapted to the cupped end of the bearing and adjusting-screw C, while the upper end is guided laterally in the hole below the screw. Below the valve I provide a series of radiating wings or blades I, which are attached to the spindle and preferably also to the under side of the valve. Each wing preferably is in the form of a curved plate, but may be straight-faced, in which case the face is set atan angle to the plane of the valve, but is suitably curved, the side which is attached to the spindle being joined at the upper end f at one side of the center line of the spindle and following the surface of the spindle downward and obliquely across its ends at e at the opposite side of the center of the spindle, the series forming a screw or spirally-arranged wings,against which the forced current of Huid from below and passing beneath the valve impinges and causes the valve to rotate while the iiow of fluid continues, the speed of rotation being governed by the velocity of the current. In designing the valve for particular uses, the velocity of current being first ascertained, the wings I are provided with a proper amount of pitch or angularity to insure a suitable speed in rotation in order to keep the case clear of sediment and not cause wear by unnecessary velocity. Above the valve are also a series of wings or blades J, in some cases one being used and in other cases two or more, and like those below the valve radiate from the spindle, to which alone they are preferably attached, a small space being between the bottom of the wings and the top of the valve. These wings may also be curved or spiral but I prefer to make them of a plane form and set vertically to the plane of the valve. They are of suitable size adapted to the proportions of the valve and casing and constitute particularly the means by which I attain the object of preventing the fouling of the valve through deposits of sediment first in the recesses and cavities in the upper part of the casing and then upon and around the valve itself, the function consisting in agitating the fluid above the valve and causing whirling currents by which the sedimentary matter is prevented from separating from the fluid. The various parts are made of suitable material well known in the art. The casing may be set so that the spindle of the valve is horizontal if a light compression-spring is suitably interposed on top of the valve to normally hold it to its seat, as is commonly known. This form of valve also provides means by which as the valve is rotated when open by the force of the current of the fluid it will return to its seat at a different position radially each time it is lifted, thus tending to slightly grind it and maintain a true surface of both the valve and the seat. When desired, the top bearing for the valve-spindle may be non-adjustable, a fixed bearing being used instead of the screw.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A. means for preventing fouling of checkvalves by reason of accumulation of sediment about the valve, said means comprising spirally-arranged blades operatively connected to the valve whereby the same is caused to rotate by the action of the passing fluid-current, radially-disposed blades operatively connected above the valve and adapted to be rotated in unison therewith to cause agitation of the passing fiuid and prevent the depositing of sedimentary matter, guides for the valve, and a stop above the valve providing a bearing adapted to permit the valve to rotate when open, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

IZO

2. A means for maintaining clear or clean clearance-spaces in check-valve cases free from sediment, said means consisting of a valve suitably seated in the case, a spindle providing an axle for said valve, guides for said spindle, a stop adapted to receive the thrust of said spindle whereby the lift of said valve from its seat is limited, wings or blades below said valve whereby the same is rotated when lifted from its seat by the force of the Huid-current, and wings above said valve adapted to be rotated in unison therewith and whereby agitation of the iiuid above said valve is produced, substantially as set forth.

3. A check-valve comprising' the case, and a valve suitably seated therein and provided with spirally-formed Wings or blades below said valve whereby said valve is caused to rotate by the action ot' the passing fluid, and blades or wings above said valve adapted to be rotated thereby and whereby agitation of the fluid above said valve is produced, and guides for said valve, substantially as set forth.

4. In a check-valve, the combination of the case, the valve-seat therein, the valve mounted upon said seat, guides for said valve, 'spirallyformed wings belowT said valve and adapted to cause said valve to rotate by the action of the fluid against said wings, wings above said valve adapted to be rotated thereby and whereby agitation of the iiuid above said valve is produced, and an adjustable stop whereby the lift of said valve from its seat is limited, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a check-valve, the combination of the case, the valve-seat therein, the circular valve mounted upon said seat and having the central axial spindle, the spirally-formed wings attached below said valve and joining said valve and said spindle, the Wings attached to said spindle above said valve, the guide for the lower end of said spindle, and the adjusting-screw providing a guide and an adjustable stop for the upper end of said spindle, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a check-valve, the combination of the case, the valve-seat therein, the valve mounted upon said seat and provided with the .spirally-formed wings situate below said seat,

the axial spindle extending above said valve,

the radial wings attached to said spindle above said valve-seat, the cage in which said valve is seated, a guide for said valve, and the adjusting-screw centrally at the top of said cage and providing a lateral guide and an adjustable stop for said spindle whereby the amount of lift of said valve is controlled, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aitix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN MCLEOD.

lVitnesses:

JNO. G. THoDE, C. G. WEYMoUrI-L 

